Yes! it’s Tim Cone as coach of the Gilas Pilipinas for the coming SEA Games which the country will be hosting starting on Nov. 30.
The pleasant news was announced by no less than Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) President Al Panlilio, saying the multi-titled Barangay Ginebra San Miguel mastermind yesterday agreed to handle the national team.
“Now I’m very happy to announce that coach Tim has officially accepted the role as head coach for Gilas Pilipinas Men in the upcoming SEA Games,” said Panlilio is a statement.
Panlilio and Cone, a two-time Grand Slam coach in the PBA who owns the record 21 championships, started their discussion about taking over Gilas Pilipinas – at least for the SEA Games – last Saturday but delayed any announcement since the latter was preparing for Ginebra’s first game in the Governors’ Cup last Sunday.
Cone isn’t new to handling the national tea, since he led the all-PBA Philippine Centennial Team to the gold medal in the 1998 William Jones Cup in Taiwan and finished third in the same year in the Asian Games in Thailand.
SBP chairman emeritus Manny V. Pangilinan mentioned Cone as top candidate for Gilas Pilipinas coaching position after Yeng Guiao vacated the post following a disappointing finish of the Philippines in the recent FIBA World Cup in China.
The national team lost all five matches in the tournament, three in the first round and two in the consolation stage.
Panlilio commended the continued support of San Miguel Corporation president and CEO Ramon S. Ang, and Sports Director Alfrancis Chua to the national team.
SIGH OF RELIEF FOR JAPETH
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel’s Japeth Aguilar heaved a sigh of relief after being cleared of any major damage on his left eye which was accidentally poked by teammate Stanley Pringle during Sunday’s PBA Governors’ Cup win over Alaska.
Team manager Reyboy Rodriguez said Aguilar will not miss their next game after being diagnosed with a soft tissue contusion sustained with 6:54 left in the fourth quarter of Ginebra’s 102-83 victory at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“Japeth’s fine, soft tissue contusion lang. He will not miss any games,” said Rodriguez, adding that there’s no need for Aguilar to wear any goggles as a precaution.
Aguilar’s girlfriend Cassandra Naidas also gave an update on Aguilar’s condition through her Twitter account, showing the Ginebra big man gamely posing for photos as if nothing happened.
“He just got scared kanina cause naduduling daw sya and parang naiiwan yung eyeball minsan when he looks around but thankfully, it’s nothing serious,” Naidas said. “It’ll go away in a few days.”
The 10-year veteran got hurt when Pringle went for a kickout pass to Justin Brownlee. Aguilar later crumpled in the baseline before being attended by teammates and medical staff.
“It was a deep, deep poke, the one where the finger gets to the side of the eye and gets stuck in there,” said Ginebra coach Tim Cone. “It wasn’t just a scratch. The finger really got in.”
The Kings won’t be seeing action until Saturday when they take on the Phoenix Pulse Fuel Masters at the Big Dome, giving Aguilar enough time to fully recover.
Aguilar finished with eight points, 11 rebounds and three blocks in 22 minutes as Ginebra opened its title bid on a high note.
BEERMEN LOSE ANEW
Meantime, San Miguel Beer settled for fourth place in the East Asia Super League Terrific 12 after 91-89 loss to China’s Zhejiang Guangsha Lions at the Tap Seac Pavilion in Macau.
Attempts to salvage a podium finish and take home $5,000 went fell shortas the Beermen couldn’t stop the Lions trio of Jinqiu Hu and imports Jalen Reynolds and Aaron Jackson.
Hu, who had two stints with the Chinese national team, scored 31 points, Reynolds posted 22 points and 15 rebounds and Jackson tallied 18 points, eight rebounds and three steals in Guangsha’s win.
The Beermen tried to come back from an 86-77 deficit, more than 90 seconds remaining, cutting the Lions lead to two on import Denzel Wells’ three with two ticks to go.
SMB forced a turnover on the next play but Wells’ Hail Mary went for naught as time expired.
Wells finished with 33 points, five rebounds and four assists while Lester Prosper produced 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Alex Cabagnot and Kelly Nabong added 15 and 14 points for the Beermen, who played the whole tournament sans June Mar Fajardo and Marcio Lassiter due to various injuries. (Waylon Galvez and Jonas Terrado)
